Red Sox Notebook: Nick Pivetta scratched as COVID-19 outbreak reaches 11 players

The COVID-19 outbreak in the Red Sox’ clubhouse rages on.

Two more players were added to the COVID-related injury list on Sunday, as the Sox lost starting pitcher Nick Pivetta and utility man Danny Santana. In total, the Sox now have 11 players on the COVID list.

Pivetta was supposed to start Sunday but was scratched.

“I found out this morning,” manager Alex Cora said before the Sox’ 11-5 loss to the Indians. “We have to be very cautious now. With testing and all that, sometimes the results don’t match up, so out of precaution we did it. But we’ll know more today or (Monday) morning about Nick. So hopefully it’s just out of precaution and nothing happens and he’ll be with us soon.”

To fill his spot, the Sox turned to 25-year-old Kutter Crawford, a former 17th-round pick in 2017 out of Florida Gulf Coast University, the same college Chris Sale attended.

Crawford lasted just two-plus innings, allowing five runs before he was removed from the game.

“I was super excited,” he said. “Went to sleep, woke up, tried to do my normal routine and do my best.

Crawford isn’t considered a prospect but has done well in the minors, with a 4.16 ERA and a sparkling 103-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio across Double-A and Triple-A this year.

“That’s more player development and the job people were doing down there,” Cora said. “They feel like he throws strikes and his stuff is really good. He controls both sides of the plate, he can elevate and he can expand with his offspeed pitches.”

Crawford and Connor Seabold, a top-10 prospect who came over from the Phillies last year, were temporarily shut down in the minor leagues so that the Sox would have some fresh arms in case of emergency. Seabold threw six shutout innings for Triple-A Worcester on Saturday.

“But obviously with everything that’s going on, he might be in consideration in the next five days so you never know,” Cora said.

Sale will start Monday for the series-opener against the Rays, followed by Eduardo Rodriguez and Nathan Eovaldi.

Kiké nearing a return

With so many guys on the COVID list, the Sox are hopeful they’ll start to get some of them back and healthy soon.

Kiké Hernandez has returned to Boston after his 10-day quarantine period.

“He has to go through some tests, heart-related, that’s part of the protocol,” Cora said. “So I think he’ll do that between today and (Monday) I think at the latest, he’ll be with us Wednesday. Most likely Tuesday.”

A few others on the COVID list will join the Sox in Chicago for their three-game set with the White Sox on Friday.

Cora compared the Sox’ outbreak with that of the Yankees’ early in the season.

“You had different guys playing and it was a different brand of baseball,” Cora said. “We beat them, but it just felt different. The preparation and the way they played it was a lot different than early in the season and the way he handled it from afar I was like this is great, a great job by Aaron Boone.

“I learned you have to be patient. You have to keep going. It’s not easy.”

Injury updates

Injured lefty Darwinzon Hernandez has thrown successful bullpen sessions and the Sox will make a decision on Monday about whether he’ll be ready to return or needs a rehab assignment.

The Sox recalled Franchy Cordero from Worcester to replace Santana, who went on the COVID list. Santana is testing negative but “not feeling great,” Cora said.

Rafael Devers got a routine day off on Sunday, his last day off of the season, Cora said. Devers pinch-hit in the fifth and struck out.

“It’s funny because today was Raffy’s off-day so it was like, ‘hit and hide somewhere, get in a bubble and stay away from everybody,'” Cora said. “And he did. There’s a lot of stuff going on in the clubhouse and some things we have to do to stop the spread. At the same time, we won a series. That’s what we were trying to accomplish.”

The Sox were mourning the loss of longtime employee and Red Sox Hall of Famer Alphonso “Al” Green, who died Saturday at the age of 94. He spent 48 years working for the team as an usher and customer service agent.